Vanessa Carta
Sr. Director of Development
Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester

1. What kind of organization are you doing donor relations in right now?

I recently joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, a youth development and community service organization affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

2. What’s a donor relations topic you’re always happy to talk about?

I passionately believe that thanking donors and showing impact are basic courtesies we owe our donors, aiming for seven gratitude touches before the next ask. Spending time and money on thoughtful stewardship is an investment well worth the costs.

Sticking Together to Bring Big Ideas to Life

Noёl Schiber, Chair
Strategic Initiatives Committee

The Strategic Initiatives Committee is the glue that bonds all the great work happening across ADRP. We leverage creativity, collaboration, and conversation to lead initiatives that help drive ADRP’s strongest and most sustainable future.

Kathleen Diemer
Founder and Owner of KM Diemer Consulting
ADRP Past President and Board Member

In the last few months, as more stories of unethical and illegal donor behavior have appeared in the news, reputational risk clauses have again emerged as a hot topic in the fundraising industry. While such clauses may be necessary to protect organizations and institutions in the event of a naming or donor association gone wrong, there are several questions organizations and institutions should ask before utilizing reputational risk clauses:

1. Where and how are you addressing reputational risk, and how are you discussing it with your donors? 

2. Do you have a documented procedure or protocol outlining how your organization would respond in a possible reputational risk circumstance?

3. Are you only addressing reputational risk that may come to your organization based on the behavior of a donor, or are you addressing it as a two-party shared act of trust?

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

Our Shared Voice 

Every story we tell about donor relations shapes the profession. The language we choose, the impact we highlight, and the leadership we model all influence how our work is amplified, understood, and valued. 

During National Volunteer Month, I am especially mindful that our shared voice is strengthened by those who give their time and talent in service to this community. So much of what moves ADRP forward happens because volunteers offer expertise, perspective, and care beyond our day-to-day roles. Our leadership may not always be visible, but its impact lasts. 

We are also deeply grateful to those recognized through ADRP’s Volunteer Service and Founders Awards. These individuals helped shape ADRP in enduring ways, and it is a privilege to continue building on that foundation.  

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

The courage to keep learning… 

Some of the most effective leaders I know share one common trait: They never stop learning. 

In our profession, curiosity is not optional. It is an act of courage. The philanthropic landscape continues to evolve, expectations shift, and new ideas challenge long-held assumptions. Choosing to learn, ask better questions, seek broad perspectives, and stretch beyond what feels comfortable is how we remain credible and relevant.  

Angela Altamore
Associate Vice President
BWF

Throughout my 15-plus years as a donor relations practitioner, I spent a good chunk of my time researching and studying industry best practices. Who among us hasn’t been asked to research our “aspirational peers”? (If you haven’t yet, it’s only a matter of time!) One of the things I’ve always appreciated about the donor relations community is how generous we are in sharing what’s working, or in some cases not working, in their shops.

After years of various benchmarking requests across multiple organizations, my then boss used a phrase that still resonates and informs my approach in consulting with donor relations teams: “I am seeking effective practices, not best practices.” It was a small shift in phrasing that fundamentally changed how I approached benchmarking. I began asking different questions:

• Who are our relevant peers; not just our aspirational ones?

• If another organization has ten times the staff and five times the budget than we do, are they really a meaningful comparison?

Bridget Edmonds
Director of Donor Stewardship
The Nature Conservancy in Maine

1. What kind of organization are you doing donor relations in right now?

The Nature Conservancy is an environmental organization that works with communities to clear obstacles and find solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises.

2. What’s a donor relations topic you’re always happy to talk about?

How to surprise and delight a donor.

Nicole Rodriguez, Chair

Building the Conference, Year by Year

The ADRP International Conference is our most visible program and represents the largest investment of volunteer time and staff support across the association. 

At the center of this enterprise is the International Conference Committee, volunteers who partner with the ADRP office to plan and execute the multi-day event. Our mission is simple in wording but significant in scope: deliver a conference experience that meaningfully serves ADRP members, non-members, and sponsors. Therefore, planning a conference of this scale requires structure, collaboration, and sustained effort over time.

Structured Committee Leadership

Macy Russell
Donor Relations Officer
University Advancement, Washington University in St. Louis

Jenny Wolkowitz
Executive Director of Development, Individual Giving
University Advancement, Washington University in St. Louis

Last summer, Jenny Wolkowitz began preparing for a meeting a century in the making. She was engaging the sixth generation of a prolific family to envision the future of their family foundation at WashU. While prior generations had practiced a quiet, steady form of generosity for decades, this newer generation expressed a desire to make more transformational investments. They weren’t just looking for new projects; they sought a philanthropic identity that felt uniquely theirs while remaining anchored in their ancestry.

Jenny worked closely with the Olin Business School to craft a menu of forward-thinking opportunities for the family’s philanthropy. Honoring a hunch that to move forward, it would be helpful to look back, she reached out to Macy Russell, a donor relations officer specializing in bespoke engagement, for help. Their initial plan for a one-page financial summary soon evolved into a genealogical detective story.  

University digital records only reached the 1960s, but Macy presumed a deeper connection than meets the eye. She worked with prospect research to dive into the archives, scouring microfilm and handwritten ledgers until she discovered the seed of the legacy: a $5 gift from a member of the family from the Class of 1925.

Brinton Vincent
Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship 
Augustana College

1. What kind of organization are you doing donor relations in right now?

I oversee donor relations and stewardship at a private, liberal arts college in the Midwest.

2. What’s a donor relations topic you’re always happy to talk about?

I'm always happy to talk about managing endowed scholarships and engaging students in our meaningful work.

• Southeast Regional Conference: New Orleans

• Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Conference: New York City

• There is no Midwest regional conference in 2026. We’ll see you next year, likely in the Chicago area.

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

The Strength of Connection… 

Connection is the heartbeat of our profession. Our work is about building relationships, listening closely, earning trust, and deepening engagement over time. It is in those intentional relationships that meaningful impact becomes possible. 

That same spirit of connection lives here within the ADRP community, across geographies, experiences, sectors, and backgrounds. What makes this organization extraordinary is not simply the knowledge we exchange or the programs we offer. It is the way we show up for one another. We share generously. We challenge thoughtfully. We learn from perspectives different from our own. 

Noёl Schiber, CFRE
Major Gifts Officer
Saint Louis Science Center

Gian Booker
Executive Director, Stewardship, Donor Relations, Communications, and Marketing
University of Maryland Medicine

Donor relations has outgrown its original job description. The field no longer exists merely to close reporting loops or execute gratitude on demand. At its best, donor relations already shapes how development teams build trust, sustain belief in the mission, and secure long-term philanthropic investment.

Yet most organizations still deploy donor relations as a downstream production function.

This gap—between what donor relations could do and how it is actually used—is now the limiting factor in modern philanthropy.

If donor relations professionals are to be strategic partners, we must stop optimizing execution and start designing systems. Systems that scale personalization. Systems that inform fundraising strategy. Systems that connect data, narrative, and donor intent into a coherent experience over time.

Celebrating Service: Volunteer and Member Experience Committee

Volunteers are the heart of ADRP. Every milestone we celebrate—from creating the Fundamentals of Donor Relations course to hosting our first international conference outside the U.S. in 2025—is made possible by members who step forward to lead, collaborate, and serve. Simply put, ADRP thrives because of its volunteers.

Empowering Volunteers at Every Step

The Volunteer and Member Experience Committee (VMEC) plays a central role in ensuring volunteers feel welcomed, supported, and valued throughout their ADRP journey. Our purpose is to enhance the volunteer experience by strengthening the volunteer pipeline and continually evaluating how members engage with and contribute to ADRP. We welcome new volunteers year-round and are committed to creating meaningful, well-supported involvement opportunities.

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

Starting with Intention…

I’m not really one for resolutions. I try to embrace opportunities to change and grow throughout the year. That said, heading into this year, I’ve been reflecting on intentions and specifically what it means to lead with intention. The donor relations profession asks us to slow down, listen closely, and act deliberately. Leading with intention isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most, with clarity and purpose. 

For ADRP, 2026 is a year of focus. We’re building on momentum, aligning our efforts, and sharpening our impact as we implement our new strategic plan. It’s a time to pause, take stock, and choose where to direct our energy next, individually and collectively. 

As we reflect on this year’s accomplishments, ADRP extends heartfelt thanks to the professionals who shared their wisdom through the Voices of Experience column. Your insights, stories, and best practices have enriched our community and advanced the donor relations profession. By lending your voice, you’ve created a platform that inspires learning and fosters collaboration across our field. We are grateful for your generosity and commitment to elevating the work we do every day. 

• “I wish someone had told me this sooner.”
• “Others are probably dealing with this, too.”

• “There is a tried and tested option.”
• “That’s a smarter way to handle this.”

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